Foldable chair

ABSTRACT

A foldable chair includes a support member formed by two intersecting frame members. A backrest member and a seat member are disposed on the frame members at a determined angle. A shaft passes through ends of the backrest member and the seat member that intersect, and also passes through the intersecting ends of the frame members. The distal end of the seat member has a closable connecting element fixedly provided thereon. The other end of the connecting element passes around the backrest member and the support member to be secured on the frame members. Furthermore, the distal end of the seat member that is not pivotally connected to the shaft and the frame member opposed thereto are provided with inter-engageable retaining elements. In use, the seat member, backrest member and the support member are erected and extended on the floor with a determined shape due to limited posed by the connecting element and the retaining elements. During folding, since the connecting element can be closed, the seat member, the backrest member and the frame members forming the support member can be arranged side by side with the shaft as center so as to minimize size of the foldable chair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] (a) Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a foldable chair, more particularly to a foldable chair that, due to use of a closable connecting element, enables extension or folding of structural elements thereof so as to facilitate use and save storage space.

[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art

[0004] A conventional foldable chair is shown in FIG. 1, and includes pivotally connected front and rear legs 100, 200. The front leg has an upper end extending upwardly and rearwardly to connect to a backrest frame 300. A seat frame 400 is pivotally provided on the front and rear legs 100, 200 and is parallel to the floor surface. In use, since the front leg 100 and the backrest frame 300 are integrally formed, during folding, the backrest frame 300 can only be caused to move with the front leg 100 to be closed upon the seat frame 400, and cannot be folded together with the front and rear legs 100, 200 and the seat frame 400. Hence, the foldable chair occupies quite some space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, which includes a support member formed by two intersecting frame members. A backrest member and a seat member are disposed on the frame members at a determined angle. A shaft passes through ends of the backrest member and the seat member that intersect, and also passes through the intersecting ends of the frame members. The distal end of the seat member has a closable connecting element fixedly provided thereon. The other end of the connecting element passes around the backrest member and the support member to be secured on the frame members. Furthermore, the distal end of the seat member that is not pivotally connected to the shaft and the frame member opposed thereto are provided with inter-engageable retaining elements. In use, the seat member, backrest member and the support member are erected and extended on the floor with a determined shape due to limited posed by the connecting element and the retaining elements. During folding, since the connecting element can be closed, the seat member, the backrest member and the frame members forming the support member can be arranged side by side with the shaft as center so as to minimize size of the foldable chair.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair that has a sheet member that is secured on a shaft and disposed between a backrest member and a seat member. The sheet member has two ends respectively secured on the end of the backrest member that is distal to the shaft so as to serve as a backrest and a seat pad.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, in which the end of the seat member with the sheet member secured thereon and the end edge of a frame member opposite thereto are provided with inter-engageable retaining elements such that, due to the retaining elements, the seat member and the frame members can be secured in position, thereby preventing closing of the seat member onto the backrest member and ensuring user safety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which,

[0009]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the prior art;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention in an extended state; and

[0012]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention in a folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] With reference to FIG. 2, a foldable chair according to this invention is shown to include a support member 10 adapted to be erected on the floor. The support member 10 includes two intersecting frame members 11. In this embodiment, the frame members are U-shaped. A shaft 20 is extended through intersecting ends (in this embodiment, ends with openings) of the frame members 11. A backrest member 30 and a seat member 40 are supported on the frame members 11 at a determined angle, and are U-shaped in this embodiment (and can be substituted by other shapes as known to those skilled in the art). The shaft 20 also passes through intersecting ends of the backrest member 30 and the seat member 40. Hence, the frame members 11, the backrest member 30, and the seat member can be coupled by means of the shaft 20.

[0014] The end of the seat member 40 distal to the shaft 20 has a closable connecting element 50 fixedly provided thereon, which is a band member in this element (but can be substituted by other elements as known to those skilled in the art). The other end of the connecting element 50 is wound around the ends of the backrest member 30 and the frame members 11 distal to the shaft 20 to be secured on the frame member 11 that is farthest away from the backrest member 30. In addition, the connecting element 50 is provided with securing portions 51 that are respectively secured on the supporting member 10, the backrest member 30, and the seat member 40. These securing elements 51 are suitably spaced apart. Furthermore, the ends of the seat member 40 and one of the frame members 11 that are distal to the shaft 20 are provided with inter-engageable retaining elements 60. In this embodiment, the retaining elements 60 are retaining fasteners and retaining grooves (which may be substituted by other elements as known to those skilled in the art). The retaining elements 60 are respectively connected to the seat member 40 and the frame members 11 by means of a suitably long band member 61. Furthermore, the shaft 20 has a sheet member 70 fixedly provided thereon. The two ends of the plate are respectively secured on the ends of the backrest member 30 and the seat member 40 that are distal to the shaft 20 to serve as a backrest and a seat pad.

[0015] With reference to FIG. 3, in use, the intersecting frame members 11 are erected on the floor with the shaft 20 and is secured at a fixed angle limited by the inter-engaged securing portion 51 and the connecting element 50. The backrest member 30 and the seat member 40 are extended with the shaft 20 as center on the support member 10 at a fixed angle limited by the inter-engaged securing portion 51 and the connecting element 50, thereby forming a foldable chair. Furthermore, by means of the fastening element 60, the foldable chair can be secured in position to prevent folding of the seat member 40 onto the backrest member 30 to thereby enhance user safety.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 4, during folding of the foldable chair, the seat member 40, the backrest member 30, and the frame members 11 forming the support member 10, with the folding of the connecting element 50, are folded side by side with the shaft 20 to minimize the size of the foldable chair.

[0017] In sum, the foldable chair of the present invention is simple to construct and use, and can overcome the drawbacks associated with the prior art.

[0018] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable chair comprising: a support member including intersecting frame members; a backrest member erected on said support member at a determined inclined angle; a seat member erected on said support member at a determined angle from said backrest member; a shaft passing through intersecting ends of said frame members, said backrest member and said seat member to couple said frame members, said backrest member and seat member together; a connecting element having one end secured on said seat member distal to said shaft, with the other end passing around the ends of said backrest member and said frame members that are distal to said shaft to be secured on a respective one of said frame members that is most distal to said backrest member, said connecting element being provided with securing portions that are respectively secured on said support member, said backrest member, and said seat member, said securing portions being suitably spaced apart from one another; whereby, in use, said seat member, said backrest member and said support member, with said shaft as center and being limited by said connecting element and said securing portions thereof, form the foldable chair; and during folding, with the folding of said connecting element, said seat member, said backrest member and said frame members of said support member are arranged together with said shaft as center so as to minimize size of the foldable chair.
 2. The foldable chair of claim 1, wherein said backrest member and said seat member have a sheet member which is secured on said shaft disposed therebetween, said sheet member having two ends respectively secured on the distal ends of said backrest member and said seat member to serve as backrest and seat pad.
 3. The foldable chair of claim 1, wherein the ends of said seat member and said frame members that are distal to said shaft are provided with inter-engageable retaining elements such that said seat member and said frame members can be secured in position by means of said retaining members, thereby preventing closing of said seat member onto said backrest member.
 4. The foldable chair of claim 1, wherein said frame members, said backrest member and said seat member are generally U-shaped frames.
 5. The foldable chair of claim 1, wherein said connecting element is a band member. 